Clip attachment apparatus for a writing instrument

ABSTRACT

A writing instrument slip attachment mechanism is disclosed which prevents the clip (3) from becoming separated from the writing instrument. The clip attachment mechanism located on the writing instrument shaft (1) includes a clip (3) having a folded back base section (4); and a clip attachment section (2) having cooperatively shaped outer and inner surfaces (2A, 2B) for operatively engaging said folded back base section (4); and a cover (5) for attachment to said clip attachment to said clip attachment section (2). The base section (4) of the clip (3) is press-fitted into the outer and inner surfaces (2A, 2B) of the clip attachment (2). The cover (5) cover the press-fitted base section (4) and preferably also helps to lock the base section (4) to the clip attachment section (2), by use of co-operatively shaped convex and concave surfaces formed between the cover and clip attachment section (2).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a clip attachment apparatus for awriting instrument.

BACKGROUND ART

In previous clip attachment mechanisms, at the outer surface of the rearof the shaft, the radial base section of the forward-extending clipattachment section was formed as a whole, and a clip base section wasinserted and fixed into an insertion hole which opened at the end of theforward-extending clip attachment section.

However, in the above example of prior art, because it is a constructionin which a clip base section is inserted and fixed into an insertionhole which opens forwardly at the end of the clip attachment section,there are cases in which the fit of the clip base section and theinsertion hole is loose due to such factors as dimensional errors, andthere are problems such as the lateral shaking and dropping out of theclip.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a writinginstrument clip attachment mechanism formed by the press fitting of thefolded back base section of the clip into the outer and inner surfacesof the clip attachment section of the shaft and by the attachment of acover which covers (and also preferably helps lock) said folded backbase section to the clip attachment section.

In this way, the folded back base section of the clip is press fit intothe inner and outer surfaces of the clip attachment section, so there isno danger of the fit of the clip becoming loose, and the lateral shakingand dropping out of the clip can be prevented. Moreover, the externalappearance is not compromised because the folded back base section ofthe clip is covered with the cover.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a clip attachmentstructure that locks the clip relative to the structure.

It is a feature of the clip attachment structure to include an openingfor receiving the bent end of the clip, and to provide a cover thatpreferably prevents the bent portion of the clip from withdrawing fromthe opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a pictorial side view showing a first embodiment of themechanism of the present design.

FIG. 1B is a front view of the same.

FIG. 2A is a side view in partial cross section which shows theconstruction of the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a cross section taken at lines 2B--2B of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2Cis an end view of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 3B is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a top view which shows the upper half of the first embodimentand the lower half of a second embodiment, without a cover attached.

FIG. 4B is a partial cross section taken through FIG. 4A, along lines4B--4B.

FIG. 4C is an end view of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a side view of a third embodiment which shows the clipattachment section in a condition where the cover and the clip are notattached.

FIG. 5B is a cross section taken at line E--E of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a vertical cross section of the cover, and

FIG. 5D is a bottom view of the cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the construction will be explained.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of a first embodiment, 1 is the writing instrumentshaft, 2 is the clip attachment section which is formed on the upperpart of the rear of the shaft 1, 2A and 2B are the outer and innersurfaces of this clip attachment section 2 respectively, and 2a and 2bare the pair(s) of clip attachment grooves which are positioned adjacentthe outer and inner surfaces 2A, 2B of the clip attachment section 2respectively.

The folded back base section 4 of the clip 3 is press fit into the clipattachment grooves 2a, 2b of the clip attachment section 2. A coverattachment groove 6 is formed on the surfaces on both sides of the clipattachment section 2, a cover attachment protrusion section 7 is formedon the inner surfaces of both sides of the cover 5, the cover attachmentprotrusion section 7 is fit into each of the cover attachment grooves 6of the clip attachment section 2, and the cover 5 is attached onto theclipped attachment section 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 2C the protrusion section 8 ispositioned opposite the shaft slit section 1A behind the clip attachmentsection 2, and the rear section 5A of the cover is attached to the uppersurface and the inner surfaces of both sides of the protrusion section8.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a notched surface 1B is formedopposite the shaft slit section 1A behind the clip attachment section 2,and the rear section 5A of the cover is attached to this notched surface1B and to the shaft slit section 1A. In this embodiment, the rearsection of the shaft slit section 1A is covered by the rear section 5Aof the cover, so the instrument becomes even more attractive.

Next, the action of the two embodiments above will be explained.

The folded back base section 4 of the clip 3 is press fit into the clipattachment grooves 2a, 2b of the clip attachment section 2, so there isno danger of the fit of the clip 3 becoming loose, and the lateralshaking and dropping out of the clip 3 can be prevented. Moveover, theexternal appearance is not compromised because the folded back basesection 4 of the clip 3 is covered with the cover 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, a narrow section 9 is formed on the upper surface ofthe folded back base section 4 of the clip 3, this narrow section 9 isattached to both sides of the upper portion of the clip attachmentsection 2, and through a construction in which the step sections 11 ofthe narrow 9 and wide sections 10 are stopped by the step sections 11Aof the corresponding clip attachment section 2, the slipping out of theclip 3 toward the rear can be reliably prevented.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 5 shows a preferred third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5A is aside view which shows the clip attachment section 2 and the shaft i in acondition where the cover and the clip are not attached. FIG. 5B is across section taken at line E--E of FIG. 5A. Moreover, FIG. 5C is avertical partial cross section of the cover, and FIG. 5D is the bottomview of the cover.

As seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a convex section 6a is formed on the bottomsurface of the cover attachment groove 6 of the clip attachment section2. On the other hand, on the inner surface of the cover attachmentprotrusion section 7 of the cover 5 which fits into this coverattachment groove 6, as seen in FIGS. 5C and 5D, a complimentary concavesection 7a is formed at the position which corresponds to the convexsection 6a, and this is made to dimensions which allow it to fittogether with the convex section 6a of the clip attachment section 2.Moreover, a tapered section 7b is positioned on the inner side of theedge of the cover attachment protrusion section 7.

In order to attach cover 5 to the clip attachment section 2, the edge ofthe cover attachment protrusion section 7 is slid from the rear of theclip attachment section 2 along the cover attachment groove 6. After theedge of the cover attachment protrusion section 7 is attached to theconvex section 6a, when the cover 5 is pressed again, the taperedsection 7b expands somewhat toward the outside and goes over convexsection 6a, and through the fitting together of concave section 7a andconvex section 6a, the cover 5 is affixed to the clip attachment section2. Through the fitting together of concave section 7a and convex section6a, the connection between the two becomes secure, and it becomesdifficult for the cover 5 to drop out of the clip attachment section 2.

In order to make the cover 5 easy to attach to the clip attachmentsection 2 and not easy to remove once it has been attached, it isdesirable for the front end surfaces of the convex section 6a and theconcave section 7a, respectively, to be formed so that they are almostperpendicular with respect to the shaft line of the writing instrumentand for the rear end surfaces of the convex section 6a and the concavesection 7a, respectively, to be formed so that they are at an angle withrespect to the shaft line of the writing instrument.

It goes without saying that the same function will be obtainable even ifthe convex section is positioned on the cover side and the concavesection is positioned on the clip attachment section side.

As mentioned above, through the present design, the folded back basesection of the clip 3 is press fit into the outer and inner surfaces 2A,2B of the clip attachment section 2, so there is no danger of the fit ofthe clip 3 becoming loose, and the lateral shaking and dropping out ofthe clip 3 can be prevented.

We claim:
 1. A writing instrument clip attachment mechanism located onthe shaft of said writing instrument, said clip attachment mechanismcomprising a clip having a folded back base section, and a clipattachment section having cooperatively shaped outer and inner surfacesfor operatively engaging said folded back base section, and a cover forattachment to said clip press fitted into the outer and inner surfacesof the clip attachment section, said cover covering said press-fittedfolded back base section on the clip attachment section.
 2. A writinginstrument clip attachment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein saidouter and inner surfaces of said clip attachment section furthercomprise adjacent clip attachment grooves, and said folded back basesection of the clip press fitted into said clip attachment grooves.
 3. Awriting instrument clip attachment mechanism located on the shaft ofsaid writing instrument, said clip attachment mechanism comprising aclip having a folded back base section, and a clip attachment sectionhaving cooperatively shaped outer and inner surfaces for operativelyengaging said folded back base section, and a cover for attachment tosaid clip press fitted into the outer and inner surfaces of the clip ofthe clip attachment section, said cover covering said press-fittedfolded back base section on the clip attachment section, wherein saidcover comprises inner surfaces which attach to the outer surfaces ofsaid clip attachment section, said clip attachment section outersurfaces further comprising the cover attachment groove and said coverinner surfaces further comprising the cover attachment protrusionsection, where said cover attachment groove fits together with saidcover attachment protrusion section.
 4. A clip attachment mechanismaccording to claim 3, characterized by the positioning of a convexsection at the bottom surface of the cover attachment groove and by thepositioning of a co-operatively shaped concave section on the innersurface of the cover attachment protrusion section.
 5. A clip attachmentmechanism according to claim 3, characterized by the positioning of aconcave section at the bottom surface of the cover attachment groove andby the positioning of a co-operatively shaped convex section on theinner surface of the cover attachment protrusion section.
 6. A writinginstrument clip attachment mechanism located on the shaft of saidwriting instrument, said clip attachment mechanism comprising a cliphaving a folded back base section, and a clip attachment section havingcooperatively shaped outer and inner surfaces for operatively engagingsaid folded back base section, and a cover for attachment to said clippress fitted into the outer and inner surfaces of the clip attachmentsection, said cover covering said press-fitted folded back base sectionon the clip attachment section, further comprising a protrusion sectionpositioned opposite the shaft slit section behind said clip attachmentsection and by the attachment of the rear section of said cover onto theupper surface and the inner surfaces of said protrusion section.
 7. Awriting instrument clip attachment mechanism located on the shaft ofsaid writing instrument, said clip attachment mechanism comprising aclip having a folded back base section, and a clip attachment sectionhaving cooperatively shaped outer and inner surfaces for operativelyengaging said folded back base section, and a cover for attachment tosaid clip press fitted into the outer and inner surfaces of the clipattachment section, said cover covering said press-fitted folded backbase section on the clip attachment section, further comprising anotched surface opposite the shaft slit section behind said clipattachment section and the rear section of said cover fitting onto saidnotched surface and shaft slit section.
 8. A writing instrument clipattachment mechanism located on the shaft of said writing instrument,said clip attachment mechanism comprising a clip having a folded backbase section, and a clip attachment section having cooperatively shapedouter and inner surfaces for operatively engaging said folded back basesection, and a cover for attachment to said clip press fitted into theouter and inner surfaces of the clip attachment section, said covercovering said press-fitted folded back base section on the clipattachment section, further comprising a narrow section formed on theupper surface of said folded back base section of said clip, whereinsaid narrow section is attached to the upper portion of said clipattachment section, and the step section of the wide and narrow sectionsis stopped by the corresponding step section of said clip attachmentsection.